Here is a great list of holiday train rides by state as well as a list of train events that you wont want to miss. With the growing popularity of holiday train rides, especially since the release of the Polar Express its important to book your excursion as soon as possible. Some train rides have already sold out!

MARYLAND

Families will create lasting memories at Applewood Farm this Christmas! From Santa visits to beautiful light displays, the farm is a winter wonderland for all to enjoy! Either visit the farm during the day or take a visit in the evening to enjoy the farm’s Bright Nights event and take a mini-train ride throughout a Christmas light display!

Enjoy the magical story of Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express as the pages come to life this year with the B&O Railroad Museum’s holiday train ride! For the young and young at heart, this annual adventure is a show to behold as much as it is an enjoyable ride! Get your golden ticket punched — just like in the story! — and climb aboard for hot chocolate and cookies while listening to this heartfelt story. Children will enjoy visits from Santa’s helpers and a silver sleigh bell from the jolly old man himself.

The Holiday ExpressDecember 1-31, 2017

Featuring fun happenings with Frosty, Santa, and a cast of characters from Frozen, there is a lot to do and see at the B&O Railroad Museum this year! Model trains, live performances, crafts and activities, and train rides make this museum a train lover’s one-stop-shop for all-things-Christmas! Book a breakfast and train ride with Santa or a story time with Mrs. Claus or the characters from Frozen to make this holiday one the family will never forget!

The National Capital Trolley Museum, open since 1969, not only provides a chance to learn about historical streetcars in the District, but also an opportunity to take a trolley ride in one of eleven original cars! On select weekends, the Museum will feature Holly TrolleyFest with toy trains and Santa riding on streetcars!

Enjoy a holiday train ride and visit with Santa on the Walkersville Southern Railroad Santa Train! The railroad’s regular scenic excursion becomes a little more magical during the holidays, and this specialty train ride is one you don’t want to miss! Plus, don’t miss the Signing Santa for riders with hearing impairments on Nov 26 & 27 and Dec 17 & 18, 2017!

Signing Santa TrainNov 26 & 27 & Dec 17 & 18, 2017

This special opportunity, for the hearing impaired, give passengers the opportunity to enjoy a holiday train ride and visit with Santa who will be signing on the Walkersville Southern Railroad Santa Train!

Make your way through the mountains on the Western Maryland Railroad this holiday season! The Christmas Wonderland Express is a 3-hour excursion that includes a 1-hour layover, where riders will enjoy all kinds of Christmas merriment including cookies, hot chocolate, and of course, a visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and all the elves!

VIRGINIA

Christmas Town is our favorite family tradition. We love seeing the park in lights, attending spectacular holiday shows, visiting with Santa, riding the train and even watching the Polar Express toy train set up.

Hop aboard the Holiday Express for a train trip through the park, set sail on the USS Rudolph, or snuggle up on the Snowman’s Wagon Ride! Plus, guests are invited to take a spin on the Caroler’s Carousel and test their skills with Gingerbread Man’s Golf. And lastly, stop by to let Santa know how good you’ve been this year, and treat yourself to s’mores, hot chocolate, spiced cider, and candy canes!

Head on down to Alexandria, VA for a delightful train ride with Santa and Mrs. Claus! This annual round-trip excursion hosted by Whistle Stop Hobbies departs King Street Station and travels to Manassas, VA. Tickets go on sale October 2, 2017, and can only be purchased in-person at Whistle Stop Hobbies.

Climb aboard a James River Rambler alongside Santa for a 45-minute excursion. Sponsored by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, there’s no better way to get up-close and personal with Virginia rail history than by taking the family on a winter train ride!

A few weeks before Christmas, families are invited to climb aboard a VRE train with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus to bask in the holiday spirit! Santa’s helpers also join the ride, passing out candy canes, coloring books, and making the day a magical adventure! This event also serves to remind families of the importance of rail safety via the Operation Lifesaver program.

Climb aboard the Northern Central Railway and enjoy one of many holiday-themed rides this season! From a train ride that takes you to a Christmas tree farm to a magical Santa sing-along excursion, these are one-of-a-kind memorable experiences for the whole family!

A Christmas tradition since 1959, Strasburg Rail Road welcomes Santa every November and December! As children and their families travel down the tracks to Paradise, PA, Santa and his special helpers will be onboard to meet with all the good boys and girls, hear their holiday wishes, and deliver a special gift to children 11 and under!Select days Nov 30-Dec 22, 2017

This unique train recreates the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve! A reader dressed in a Victorian nightshirt and cap will read Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, The Night Before Christmas, as the train rolls along. Passengers and kids dressed in pajamas can enjoy a treat of milk and cookies, as well as more storybook readings of holiday classics aboard the train’s heated Caboose.

Christmas Tree TrainDec 2, 2017

Ride aboard the Christmas Tree Train to Leaman Place Grove, where you can choose a pre-cut Fraser or Douglas Fir tree and have it delivered by steam on a flat car back to the station.

Santa’s Express is ready to embark on a magical 90-minute journey through the Chester Creek Valley! Enjoy a music-filled ride with Santa all the way to Glen Mills, PA where riders can visit the historic station and catch a photo op with Santa! Plus, enjoy all your favorite Christmas songs sung live by Greg Wright and friends! They take requests, too, so get your lists ready!

Local businesses and associations sponsor model train displays throughout the garden. Several “engineers” set up the garden in Fire House #41. A Timeless event in Baltimore city; best of all, it’s free!

November 25, 2017 – January 1, 2018 (closed Dec 24-25)
In addition to Brookside Garden of Lights outdoor holiday light exhibit (with more than one million dazzling lights,) G-Scale model trains wind through a seasonal landscape inside the Conservatory. And. inside the Visitors Center, you enjoy hot cocoa while listening to one of the nightly musical performances.

Check back for 2017-2018 dates
Newly renovated “Trains of Christmas” includes favorite steam & diesel trains operating on four levels over a winter landscape. The layout grows as the season progresses.Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum

This year marks the 11th season of the holiday partnership between Brookside Gardens and the Washington, Virginia & Maryland Garden Railway Society, which brings you a fantastic world of miniature town and country scenes via train travel. Beautiful and bright winter-blooming plants decorate the model train route inside the South Conservatory. Admission is free.

The National Capital Trackers provide a captivating display of model locomotives to the museum, complete with villages, tunnels, and depots that bring history to life. This exhibit is free with museum admission.

Botanical and locomotives come together as trains travel among lighthouses and replicas of the most recognizable buildings in our nation’s capital, which are created with real plant materials. To add to your whimsical experience, the Conservatory offers extended hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for live seasonal music from 6-8 pm. Both the train exhibit and music are free of charge.

Join in the Herndons greatest tradition for the annual holiday train show. Check out the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Depot Museum and Caboose after viewing holiday model trains. Free parking and admission to all three venues.

This year marks the 28th Annual Holiday Train Show and set to be the biggest event of the year! Model trains of all sizes and shapes will run in, out and under our museum. Bring broken locomotives to the “Train Doctor” for advice on repairs (many simple fixes can be taken care of for free). Antique cars will visit on Saturday (weather permitting). And if we are all nice but not naughty, Santa may drop by for a special visit.

It is a family tradition of ours to visit Union station to see the train exhibit every Christmas Eve. The trains are hand-made replicas of real Norwegian trains and are set in a Nordic landscape and scenery.

***Important: Rides and events are subject to change or even have cancellations that might be reflected in this article. Please, always make confirmations and reservations by calling or clicking on the direct links to the events.***

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The Playful Parent

The Playful Parent was created in 2016 as a blog to share the joys and craziness of parenting. The founder of The Playful Parent is a full time domestic energizer and has a Bachelors from Marymount University and a Masters in Clinical Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

Free Fishing

​Options for fishing in Maryland without a fishing license

Normally a license is required to Fish in Maryland but there are a few exceptions to this requirement.The first option is there are specific areas in Maryland that are designated License Free Fishing Areas throughout the tidal portions of the Chesapeake Bay and one nontidal location. You are required to observe all fishing laws and regulations. A free MD/PRFC angler registration is also required for anglers fishing without a license in designated tidal license free fishing areas, you may register online. You can see a list of license free locations on the following page: License Free Fishing Areas –

The second option is that Maryland hosts Free Fishing Days. During a free fishing day, a person may catch and possess finfish in the tidal and nontidal waters of the State for recreational purposes without an angler’s license, Chesapeake Bay sportfishing license, or any fishing stamp normally required by the State, but shall otherwise observe all fishing laws and regulations. Maryland’s free fishing days are the first two Saturdays in June and July 4.

Lastly, all those folks under 16 years of age are allowed to fish without a license.

INDOOR PLAYGROUND HOURS- ANDREWS AIRFORCE BASE JBA (BASE ACCESS ONLY)Date: OPEN DAILYTime: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PMLocation: JBA Community Commons, 1442 Concord Ave, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland 20762Details: Did you miss the Grand Opening ribbon-cutting ceremony?! No problem you can still visit daily. The hours of the indoor playground will be the same as the normal JBA Community Commons hours (Monday to Saturday 7 am. to 8 p.m.) except in the case of reservations by private parties. Please reach out to their page directly for more details. This is for base access DOD and Military ID families.Event Type: Grand OpeningAge Group: All AgesCost: FREERegistration: Drop-In

Date: Every Tuesday & ThursdayTime: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Sky Zone Trampoline Park, Crain Highway, White Plains, MDDetails: Toddler Time is a great shared experience for child and parent. A time for your little ones to discover the joy of being active, bouncing under the supervision of their parents, and without interference from the big kids. Visit their website or Facebook Page to find out about special seasonal Toddler Time EventsEvent Type: Parent/childAge Group: Walking to 5 years oldRegistration: Walk-in welcome!Cost: $10 Toddler, $8 Additional Toddler, $7 ParentInformation: SKYZONE TODDLER TIME LINK

Date: Monday – ThursdayTime: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PMLocation: Family Place to Play, Waldorf, MDDetails: Family Place to Play Fun Center is a large indoor playground that can accommodate private parties and also is a great place to bring kids to play. Open Play provides many different ways for kids to be stimulated both physically and mentally.Event Type: Free PlayAge Group: All AgesCost: $11 (2 Hours)/ 2 and under $6.60Registration: Drop- In Welcomehttps://familyplacetoplay.com/ways-to-play/

Details: Lord Calvert Bowl is dedicated to kids and ensuring they have asafe and fun place to be themselves.Our Say No To Drugs program offers FREE bowling for kids!Simply register your kids in the program and receiveone FREE game every day all Summer long. That’s it!Subsequent games and shoes are only $2.50 each.Remember to bring your Say No To Drugs card with youif you are already registered. Ages 2-18 Call 410-535-3560 for more information.

HOW: Families can download the FREE weekly scavenger hunt sheet from links on Facebook page or by visiting the Mall Office. Prizes are geared towards children ages 3 – 10; limited to one per child per week while supplies last. Prizes can be collected up to a week after the last Saturday posting. Additional prizes are available to parents that post a photo and comment on each week’s Facebook page post (while at the mall) OR by signing up for a FREE Simon Family Membership. It is recommended to call ahead to confirm prize availability.

The Town of La Plata will host five summer shows for kids at Town Hall. The shows are geared towards preschool and elementary age children and are approximately 45 minutes long. The shows are free and open to the public. Shows will be held outdoors on the West lawn where the Friday night concerts take place (weather permitting – shows will not be moved indoors). Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs for sitting. No concessions will be available, but you are welcome to bring drinks and snacks along. 2018 Schedule:

For more information about the shows please contact Colleen Wilson, Special Events Coordinator at cwilson@townoflaplata.org or at 301-934-8421. If the show is cancelled due to the weather we will post the announcement on the Town’s website (home page and kids show page), face book page and information will be available by calling Town Hall at 301-934-8421.

Details: Play is an important part of a child’s growth and development. Join us for this session of unstructured play time where we’ll provide the tools for your child to explore their creativity and use their imagination.

Registration: ***Ticketed Event*** Summer Reading is a popular time for us. We will be handing out tickets to our most popular events starting 1 hour before programs noted as Ticketed Events. Customers must be present to receive tickets which will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Details: Join us in creating rainbows and sunflowers crafts out of paper plates, streamers and bubble wrap.

Event Type: Children’s Library ProgramAge Group: 6 – 11

Registration: ***Ticketed Event*** Summer Reading is a popular time for us. We will be handing out tickets to our most popular events starting 1 hour before programs noted as Ticketed Events. Customers must be present to receive tickets which will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Details: The new school year is nearly here! Join us for a great opportunity for young children to get over their school jitters by hopping on the bus. We’ll read a school bus story, and then board a school bus for a ride to a local elementary school. Kids will be able to talk to the bus driver and learn what they will do on their first day of school!

ABOUT THE CREATOR OF THE PLAYFUL PARENT

Welcome to The Playful Parent! My name is Kristy and I am a mother of two energetic boys. I believe that children learn through play! I love to do fun things with my children and hope that sharing our adventures provides other families with inspiration and resources that lead to quality time together and a love for learning! I started this site so parents would have a family friendly place to come to, feel supported and leave with information that is useful. This site is kept advertisement and influence free in order to keep the site from clutter and non-bias opinion. since it is non-monetized and profit free; your feedback, likes and comments on social media is how I get support from other companies to provide the community with free events and information.